Ready for an Outer Banks Weekend, 12/22/2023
Dec 22, 2023
Parasailing
I used to own a parasail boat and it was extremely safe. Our captains did a great job of taking care of the customers. This video, however, is probably from a country with very lax regulations, if any. My favorite comment comes from AFV which says, *removes parasailing from bucket list*.
Record Breaking Black Bear?
A 780 lb. black bear was killed using a bow and arrow in Chocowinity, just south of Washington, NC. Chocowinity is now on my list of places where I won't be hiking.
https://www.witn.com/2023/12/18/potential-world-record-breaking-bear-taken-by-bow-arrow-chocowinity/
THINGS TO DO
12/31/2023, New Years Eve in Manteo
Live music, food, activities for kids, and fireworks bring in the new year in Downtown Manteo. Save yourself a late drive home and book a room ASAP.
2/3/2024, Annual Hatteras Island Oyster Roast
Food, drinks, music, and auctions to support oyster education, restoration, and habitats along the North Carolina coast.
Eating Healthy
My brother stopped in town and we were in the grocery store together when he asked me if they carried pomegranate seeds in a cup. I told him "no" and three seconds later he grabs a cup off the shelf. I had no idea.
So now I'm buying pomegranate seeds in a cup. I put them in my yogurt and it's delicious. Which got me thinking, how else can I eat these? Don't laugh too hard, but I found that I can use them in the place of jelly for my peanut butter sandwiches. Jelly is pretty much just a ton of processed sugar, so why not replace it with something sweet and healthy? Yes, they occasionally fall out of the sandwich so I wouldn't recommend this for your kids' school lunch, but as a healthy snack at home it's really good.
More Healthy Eating
Steel cut oatmeal with berries
I just read an article National Geographic explaining that rolled oats are not as healthy as steel cut oats (see quote below).
“In my view, a high-quality carbohydrate should have at least one of these features: low GI (Glycemic Index), high fiber, or whole grain. If you get all three in one food—that’s ideal,” says Wolever.
Simple, intact, close-to-their-natural-form cooked whole grains, like steel cut oats, barley, and quinoa, tend to check all three boxes.
“But GI goes up quite a bit [25 to 35 percent] when whole oat grains get crushed to form rolled oats, and only rises a little more when turned into flour,” says Wolever.
So after a little hunting at the grocery store I found Better Oats, Oat Revolution, Steel Cut. The texture is not exactly like oatmeal, but more like Cream of Wheat. Still very tasty and better for you.
https://amzn.to/48teYoH, Plain
https://amzn.to/3RNL9K6, Maple and Brown Sugar
For an added health boost I defrost frozen berries which also sweetens the cereal.
Juan Ramirez, First Flight Soccer
You may recall the First Flight boys soccer team winning this year's state championship. For Coach Juan's hard work, dedication, and success, he as been named Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year. Congratulations!
Ted Lasso, Gezellig
Since we're on the topic of soccer, there's an episode of Ted Lasso where Rebecca is rescued after falling into an Amsterdam canal. Her hero/host repeats a Dutch word throughout the evening. Gezellig. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as "pleasantly sociable and friendly". Now you have a new word to describe your holidays. Hopefully.
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Merchandise
I continue to add new t-shirt designs. Order your Outer Banks merchandise to show your affection for the OBX and help support this newsletter. It also makes a great Christmas gift.
Have a Great Weekend and a Merry Christmas,
John Van Lunen
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